what to look for when buying an SC

Boomin Boy

Registered User
I know you guys are probably sick of my newbie questions so i apalogize for my ignorance but i have a very important one

ill be buying and sc within the next month and have started looking already, what are some things i should look at to ensure that i get my money's worth?? Obviously oil leaks etc, but also characteristics of a dieing or labouring SC

thanks for your time
 
here's a few:

Mileage...try to stay under 100k
Leaks...obviously as stated
Boost...make sure the boost gauge is going up to right boost and is getting correct vaccum at idle
Tranny...5-speeds are cool and rare in some years
Supercharger...listen for bearing noise and noise from snout

I know that 94/95 sc's had a headgasket recall. Auto Tranny's are unpredictable...i know from experience. Make sure it's shifting smoothly or slightly firm. I would buy one with NO MODS...SC owners tend to be fast and furious.
 
Well, if like me, you'll start out with good intentions and end up grabbing the next one you see!


Try to stick to private parties. These cars show up at dealer auctions all the time and they are in rough shape. Dealers clean them up (or don't) and turn around and really oversell them. I looked at a Black 90 5speed at a dealer. Hadn't been washed,rear bumper cover had been spray painted black. Car had 80k miles, the radio was ripped out of it, the shift lever was missing the knob, the drivers seat plastic by the controls was smashed. He wanted 5K for it. I didn't even bother to open the hood.

The key to finding a good SC is to have patience. I didn't have much patience, but I got lucky and found a good private owner car. The owner had replaced his 89 with a 92or 93. So you can get lucky. Watch the local papers like a hawk. And don't hesitate to check the buy/sell boards here.

General Used Car rules:
If it's got over 75K expect to replace:
Alternator
Water Pump
P/S pump
A/C compressor

If you don't have to consider yourself lucky. I'm lucky.

If it's a 5speed and the clutch has never been replaced, expect to replace it if you are over 100K miles.

Watch out for salvage vehicles. You can get some good deals, or you can get burned. 89-92 cars are turning up as salvage a-lot as insurance companies seem to regularly total them. Then the surface items are fixed, a check engine light is ignored, and you don't know what you have.

The cheaper and older SC's are going to be the ones that need more work and cost more in the end. 5Speeds are more rare, especially in later model years. Thus they fetch a slightly higher price than Autos.
 
everything cosmetically on the sc isn't too hard to replace or fix. The engine and tranny are always the biggest problems
 
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